Vol. 575 No. 5
72 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the guarantees he can give that the regional drugs task forces will be fully operational in 2004; the funding which will be available for regional drugs task forces in 2004; the amount of money which has been set aside in the Estimates published on 13 November 2003; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28639/03]
81 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the progress which has been made by the regional drugs task forces in mapping out the pattern of drug misuse in their areas and in addressing the gaps in service provision; the delay in progress to date, in view of the gravity of drug use in the regions; when it can be expected that these findings will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28640/03]
I propose to take Question Nos. 72 and 81 together.
As the Deputies are aware, under the National Drugs Strategy 2001 to 2008, regional drug task forces – RDTFs – are being established in each of the ten health board areas throughout the country. The RDTFs, which represent a team-based response to illicit drug use, are made up of nominees from State agencies working in the region, the community and voluntary sector and elected public representatives. It is intended that all the RDTFs will work in a partnership manner, similar to the local drugs task forces – LDTFs.
All RDTFs now have chairpersons and co-ordinators appointed and the majority are up and running and meeting regularly. They are currently working on mapping out the patterns of drug misuse in their areas, as well as the services already available in the areas, with a view to co-ordinating existing services and addressing gaps in service provision. As the Deputies will appreciate, the task forces are at different stages in this process and it will ultimately be a matter for each of them to decide whether to publish the results of this work. It is worth noting, however, that the LDTF plans have, typically, not been published but were available to any interested parties.
The work by the regional drugs task forces will feed into the drafting of regional action plans, which will be submitted to the national drugs strategy team – NDST – for consideration and assessment. The NDST will make recommendations to the inter-departmental group on drugs, which I chair and to the Cabinet committee on social inclusion regarding the implementation and funding of the plans. Given the experience of the local drugs task forces, this work is likely to take up most of next year.
As regards resources for the RDTFs in 2004, as the Deputies are aware, the subhead in my Department for drugs funds a number of different initiatives. There are no specific allocations within this subhead for particular initiatives. They will be funded as the need arises with reference to the overall allocation and competing demands on the subhead. However, as outlined above, in 2004, the funding needs of the RDTFs are unlikely to be significant due to the fact that funding will primarily be required to meet on-going administrative costs.
73 D'fhiafraigh Dr. Upton den Aire Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta cad iad na cainteanna a bhí aige leis an Aire Oideachais agus Eolaíochta mar gheall ar oideachas tríú leibhéal trí Ghaeilge; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina leith. [28573/03]
Mar is eol don Teachta, tá cur chun cinn an oideachais tríú léibhéal trí Ghaeilge mar ghníomh tras-rannúil i ráiteas straitéise mo Roinne don tréimhse 2003-2005. Ar ndóigh, is faoi chúram an Aire Oideachais agus Eolaíochta go príomha atá an freagracht seo, cé go bhfuil sé i gceist agam go mbeidh mo Roinnse ag obair go dlúth leis an Roinn Oideachais agus Eolaíochta faoin ábhar seo.
Bunaíodh Grúpa Oibre Idirgníomhaireachta faoi chathaoirleacht na Roinne Oideachais agus Eolaíochta le hionadaithe ón Roinn sin, ó mo Roinnse, ón Údarás um Ard-Oideachais agus ó Údarás na Gaeltachta chun plean forbartha don oideachas tríú leibhéal sa Ghaeltacht, a bhí réitithe ag ollscoileanna áirithe, a mheas. Mar a dúirt mo chomhghleacaí, an tAire Oideachais agus Eolaíochta, Nollaig Ó Diomsaigh Uasal, i bhfreagra ar cheist Dála le déanaí, tháinig an grúpa oibre seo le chéile trí huaire go dtí seo agus tionólfar an chéad chruinniú eile chomh luath agus is féidir. Beidh mé ag tnúth go mór le moltaí an ghrúpa oibre idirgníomhaireachta a bheith curtha faoi mo bhráid agus faoi bhráid mo chomh-Aire sa Roinn Oideachais agus Eolaíochta.
